


Brothers Conflict

by Nyxie_pixie



Category: Brothers Conflict, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Enjoy!, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Multi, Read the warnings, Reverse Harem, Smut, Step-Brothers, could also be ot7 if I feel like it, don't come at me with hate y'all, final pairing will be decided by you all, might be a little humor/crack, none of them are related by blood, there will be eventual smut, they are STEP SIBLINGS AND NOT RELATED BY BLOOD, this is NOT incest okay, will update the tags if I think of anything more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25037587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyxie_pixie/pseuds/Nyxie_pixie
Summary: Thrust into an already established family, you struggle to find your footing while dodging the advances of seven, incredibly good looking stepbrothers.Your father marrying, and you suddenly having to live under the same roof with seven step brothers was a royal mess or so you had thought, because them falling in love with you was so much worse. Or was it?Romance, Fluff, Humour, Smut and maybe a little angst. (PG-18) (step brother AU)
Relationships: Bangtan Boys Ensemble & Reader, Bangtan Boys Ensemble/Reader, Jeon Jungkook & Reader, Jeon Jungkook/Reader, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope & Reader, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Reader, Kim Namjoon | RM & Reader, Kim Namjoon | RM/Reader, Kim Seokjin | Jin & Reader, Kim Seokjin | Jin/Reader, Kim Taehyung | V & Reader, Kim Taehyung | V/Reader, Min Yoongi | Suga & Reader, Min Yoongi | Suga/Reader, Park Jimin (BTS) & Reader, Park Jimin (BTS)/Reader, Park Jimin (BTS)/You
Comments: 51
Kudos: 308





	1. Trip and Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the anime: Brothers conflict. This is a cliche, guilty pleasure of mine. Enjoy!

* * *

Your eyes take in the humongous structure in front of you, and you try your best to not look too awestruck. You aren't sure how well that works out, considering you can hear your best friend muffling her laugh beside you, but you don't bother to turn and check.

_'Pretty sure this isn't the last time this is going to happen either.'_ You think, as you bite your lower lip and wipe your sweaty hands over the denim of your jeans. 

"Girl, you scored a jackpot." Sunmi teases, her angelic yet somehow demonic at the same time, giggle following close after. 

You, in response side eye her and choose not to reply. What would you even say? Depending on who answers, the reply would differ anyways.

Though you still aren't sure what _your_ answer would be.

Till a week ago you were just a 20-year-old university student, who while _technically_ was said to be living with her father, at the end of the day virtually lived alone. 

Your father is a famous adventurer. You don't know what that term entails precisely, but too scared of the possible connotations that it might bring forth, you avoid letting your curiosity run too deep. 

You think some part of it involves climbing and hiking mountains though. 

_Has to be._

"Are we seriously going to stand here like a bunch of creepy fangirls all day? Woman, that is _your_ home now. _Move it_ before I do it for you!" Sunmi grumbles before she locks her arm with yours and then proceeds to forcibly, drag you across the driveway.

" **Wait!** Sun stop! Ohmygod _,_ Will you _stop_ you crazy banshee?" 

Sunmi, in all her eccentric glory, does not. Instead, she turns, gives you a non-pulsed look and then continues to drag you over against your will, her silky, long, black hair billowing behind her like a cape and hitting you in the face. 

_Of course._

You try to dig the heels of your converse into the pavement below, but it's smooth and cemented, and you almost trip and break your jaw, before you decide that it is simply _not_ worth it and allow her to drag you against your will. 

"This is an insanely long driveway, for fucks' sake, why would anyone need such a long driveway anyway?" 

You let out a snort when you hear her say that and let your eyes take in the view as you reply, "It's a rich people thing, you peasant."

The answering elbow that digs deep into your ribs is _totally_ worth it, you decide. 

The cool breeze feels heavenly, and you sigh as you feel it between your strands and over your heated scalp. The area that surrounds the large sprawling five-storey mansion in front of you is lined with trees. Tall hills coloured green by vegetation, with their tips shrouded between clouds, form the backdrop. 

There is also a fancy, intricate water fountain that you think is made of white marble?Or some sort of white stonemaybe? In the middle of the driveway. 

_‘Expensive,’_ You decide and glance around.

The driveway itself spreads all across the front of the mansion, forking and getting divided into two separate pathways a little further away from the building. Between the divided paths is where the fountain is, it's base surrounded by a kaleidoscope of pretty, bright flowers.

At the call of a bird, your gaze snaps up, and you see as a couple of graceful, little, birds fly over and pass you by. Their chirping fills the quietness of the atmosphere, with a pleasant, dulcet ring. 

_If nothing else, at least the place is beautiful._

You stop when Sunmi rings the doorbell and scoot a few inches behind her. 

_'I am not trying to hide, I'm just strategically camouflaging.'_ You think to yourself, but you know you're lying.

Sunmi apparently does too, as no sooner had you scooted back, that she yanks you ahead of her. You wince when you feel your muscles protest, and aim a glare at her. 

"I hope you realise that if you dislocate my shoulder, you will have to assist me until it heals back." 

Sunmi gives you a look before she quips back, "Why would I? I hope you realise that _you_ now have seven ridiculously good looking brothers to take care of you instead." 

At your disgusted expression, she wiggles her eyebrows and of course because the world is never at your side you hear someone clear their throat behind you. 

A part of you _dies_ inside when you realise that someone probably overheard what your stupid, loudmouth of a best friend had just said. 

_Add a mental note to punch Sunmi at the earliest._

You are snapped back out of your thoughts when you feel her pinch your stomach and you yelp as you twist back to face the door, only to stop dead in your tracks. 

There holding the door open and standing at the threshold looking like a Greek god, was Kim Seokjin, who if you remember your information right was the oldest brother. Now your _stepbrother_. 

He smiles when he sees your startled expression and bows. 

"Ah, yes we have been waiting for you Y/N. I am Seokjin, but you can just call me Jin-oppa if you'd prefer that." 

Startled, your face breaks out into colour when you hear that, and your voice comes out broken as you say, _"O-op-Oppa?"_

You don't know if he doesn't hear you or if he's just ignoring you, but the next second he's bowing and introducing himself to your best friend. Sunmi, of course, preens under the attention as she does the same and somewhere in the back of your mind, you snort at how much of an attention whore your best friend is. 

Once they are both done, he turns to you and his smile widens as he holds the door open, as if indicating for you to move in. Your eyes fall to his smile and thus to his lips, and all you can think about is how his lips are better than yours.

_‘_ _Why does he need such full lips anyway?’_ You think jealous, and more than a little self-conscious.

Sunmi, however, takes the hint and tugs on your hand again, stepping in first. 

You trail a few inches behind her taking in the interior of the house, only to jump when you feel someones’ hand at the back of your waist. 

You spin on your heels and pause as you realise that you are now an _inch_ , away from Seokjins very wide, _very_ built chest. The smooth, pale skin of his torso, glimpses back at you from in between the deep V-neck of his button-down shirt, and you feel a blush rising from deep above your own chest, as you realise the close proximity. 

The feel of his hand that is _still_ , on your waist doesn't help either. 

However, before you can ponder on too much, over the utter perfection that are your eldest step brothers shoulders, and then promptly be _horrified_ at that following train of thought, you are walking again. 

Sunmi apparently had not caught onto your little pause, as she continues to tug you across the room. 

Stumbling, you try not to trip face-first onto the floor. Your eyes widen, and your face burns when you feel the hand that was till now placed lightly over your waist, _grip_ your side, before twisting you forward and then moving away. 

A second later, your brother lightly brushes your shoulder with his as he moves forward and directs you and Sunmi to where everyone else is apparently waiting for you. 

You blink as you try to wrap your head around what had just transpired.

You _think_ he was just trying to help you but is gripping your stepsister's waist seconds after meeting her for the first time an acceptable form of action action? 

Out of your depth, and baffled at his actions, you just follow along behind Sunmi, as you try to get your thoughts straight and your raging blush under control. 

_Deep breaths Y/N, in and out, there we go._

Once your cheeks no longer feel like they are trying to light themselves on fire, you raise your head and glance around. 

The interior was just as grand as you had expected it to be. The walls tall and glassed, let in the sunshine from outside and created a bright, warm ambience. There were potted plants, placed around every few steps, and you wonder if they are real or fake. There's an undertone fragrance of jasmine in the air that makes you think that maybe the plants are real. 

The ceiling is high and most of the interior white, or metallic. Lights hung from the ceiling in designer, metal frames and there were white leather couches spread around along with a few showpieces. 

The uniformity of the interior is only interrupted by the vast array of paintings around you. There were paintings scattered all across the walls, some hung higher than the others,. You try to see if there is a pattern or not as you pass a few by and look closer, but quickly give up when you realise they are pieces of modern art.

_Yep, too dumb for that._

You let that train of thought go as you force yourself to stop suddenly to avoid smashing headfirst into your best friends back. Looking ahead, you realise that you are now standing in front of an elevator. You clench your jaw to prevent it from unhinging to the ground and instead glance at Sunmi, to see if she is as gobsmacked as you are.

Your best friend, apparently somewhere on the way had taken her cellphone out and was now aggressively hitting the screen as she tries to text back with one hand, the other one still firmly locked with yours. 

_Apparently not then._

Your jaw still clenched, you look up to see the capsule-like glass-walled lift come down to your floor. It stops with a soft _'ding',_ and you follow behind Seokjin, for once tugging Sunmi instead of the other way around.

It's when you are inside the lift ascending to some floor above, that you realise your predicament. Sandwiched between Seokjin on one side and Sunmi on the other, you try not to fidget as you feel your stepbrothers shoulder brush with yours, as he leans back against the wall beside you. The lift is spacious, and you don’t understand why you all are standing so close, but you don’t say anything or move.

Trying your best to not seem rude, you just bite your lips and look down at your feet, rocking back on your heels, as you tug the lace of one of your converse with the other. 

The ride up is quiet with only the low, generic elevator music ringing in the background. 

_'_ _This is awkward, should I say something? I should probably say something.'_

That's when you realise that you hadn't introduced yourself, nor said a _single_ coherent word since Seokjin had opened the door for you. 

The thought sends you tumbling down another self-induced shame spiral. 

As if that wasn't bad enough, you think back to just _what_ , he had heard when he had opened the door, and you decide maybe not saying anything would be a wiser course of action. Least you open your mouth and embarrass yourself further. 

Realising the potential harm of using your vocal cords, you stay quiet and instead take the time to really _look_ at your eldest stepbrother. _Or is it just brother now?_

_Would it be rude if I referred to them as my stepbrothers?_ Is the thought that your mind brings forward and you bite your lip as you think of how you should proceed ahead. 

As you look at your brother from the corner of your eyes, your breath hitches when you realise _just_ how good looking he is. The picture that your father had shown you clearly did not do him justice. 

His luscious, black hair, is gelled back to keep it off his forehead and his ridiculously thick eyelashes are long and slightly curled at the end, framing his almond-like eyes.

As your gaze trails down his side profile, you gulp when you realise that while he looks like a classic movie-star with his thick, high arched eyebrows, you probably look like a haggard, homeless woman in contrast.

The thought doesn't quite sit well with you, and you let out a quiet huff in annoyance. 

Apparently, you huff wasn't as quiet though because not a second later, you feel Seokjin nudge your side and your gaze snaps up to look at him—his brows raised and a look of concern plastered over his face. 

Your lips part, as you think to reply but when no words come out, you snap them shut, pulling on a tight smile instead and just shake your head to assure him that you are fine. 

The unconvinced, concerned look on his face stays, but thankfully he doesn't pry and leaves you to your own devices, with a soft reassuring, squeeze to your hand. 

You, however, because are socially awkward and love to embarrass yourself, proceed to let out a yelp as you flinch away from his touch and crash into Sunmi's side.

"Jesus _ouch!_ Y/N are you okay? Did you see a spider or something?" Sunmi asks concerned, as she slips her phone back into her pocket and pulls you to her side, wrapping an arm around your waist. Beyond mortified, you just shake your head and curl yourself around her body, seeking the familiar warmth and comfort of your best friend. 

You don’t turn to look at what the expression on Seokjins’ face is.

_'_ _This day couldn't get any worse.'_ You think now utterly embarrassed and push your head into the side of Sunmi's neck, and hope that the world crashes so that you don't have to look into your stepbrother's eyes again.

_'He probably thinks you're a psycho.'_ Your brain adds, and you internally groan and snuggle into your best friend more, the increasingly familiar blush overtaking your face again. 

* * *

Earlier, you think you might have jinxed yourself. Because no sooner, had the doors of the lift opened, and you had stepped out, that you tripped and fell face-first onto the floor. 

_Smooth._

Thankfully the floor was covered with a soft plush carpet, and soon your best friend was by your side, her concerned voice ringing in your ears, which was then followed by Seokjins’ as his crouched figure comes into your peripheral vision. 

You would be more embarrassed, but you are pretty sure he already thinks you are deranged, so you just take this one in stride and raise your face to look up and reassure them both that you are alright. 

However, the scene that greets your eyes is a little different. 

Standing there in front of your fallen form, faces ranging from curious to concerned are six more men. 

Six more men that you realise, are the rest of your stepbrothers.

The realisation hits you like a bucket full of ice water being poured down your back, and you hold back a frustrated _scream_ , as the absolute ridiculousness of the day catches up with you. 

But instead of shrieking, you just groan and let your raised face fall back onto the carpet.

Carpet fur in your mouth and mushed against your face, you realise that no, your day _could_ and just _did_ get a lot worse. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story currently is not my priority, ETMY is, so if you wanna read more you'll have to let me know.  
> Comment down below if you want more of this!
> 
> And have a lovely day ahead, sending you nothing but good vibes 💖


	2. Woopsies! Conflict with the brothers?

There needs to be a limit, you think. A threshold level to how bad a day can go before it ends, or maybe you faint and are left craning into nothingness. Just _something_ to tell you that this is as bad as it can possibly get for you. **  
**

You hear Seokjins' concerned voice get drowned by the much louder voice of your best friend, but you don't respond. You realise that you should get up, reassure everyone that you are okay, but you are starting to wonder if you can even salvage the day anymore. 

_The limit to how embarrassed I can be has hit a new high today._

* * *

Groaning and cursing every single god up there, you finally raise your face from the floor, bringing your hand up to scratch your cheeks and rub your eyes, as you purposefully avoid all the gazes that you can _feel_ trained on you. 

Wincing you scratch at the burn you feel on your chin from where your face had hit the carpet. The fall could have been a lot worse, but the rug had saved you from the worst of the burnt. 

Saved, everything _but_ your dignity that is. 

"I am fine," You reassure everybody without looking at anybody; before you turn to Sunmi and squeeze her hand in silent reassurance. Her concerned eyes stay trained on your hunched figure, but at your small smile, she nods, sending a small worried smile back. 

Sunmi has been your best friend since middle school. Your friendship blossomed the day she punched another girl in the school washroom for you, the girl; a bully was making fun of you for being a late bloomer, when Sunmi, your schools' resident queen-bee, swooped in like a raging goddess in all her angry glory and gave the girl a black eye. 

You still think back to that day with fondness and a slight sense of wariness. Your petite, barbie doll of a best friend could pack _quite_ the punch. It was a reassuring yet scary skill of hers. 

Snapped out of your thoughts at the feel of a hand on your shoulder, you look up to see Seokjins’ concerned eyes peering into yours, and exhale out a heavy breath. 

_Okay, now it can't get any worse._

Maybe you shouldn't feel as reassured as you do with that thought, but you do. The realisation that you have already hit rock bottom when it comes to first impressions is, funnily enough, liberating to you. 

_At least now, I don't have to worry about if the pitch of my 'hello' is right or not._

Evidently, such frivolous solicitude was no longer a concern of yours. You have risen to higher grounds, where your first impression bar now ranges from psycho to _batshit crazy_.

_Yep, that sounds about right._

A cough snaps you out of your thoughts, and you quickly rise to your feet, with a little help from Sunmi. In your peripheral vision, you see Seokjin’s hands hover uselessly in the air as he stops himself from reaching out to you. Clearly, your earlier responses to his touch had left an impression on him, one that was probably not all that great, you realise. 

Wincing at both your embarrassment and the slight sting you feel, you finally swivel your gaze away from the floor and to the six men ahead of you, Seokjin still hovering worriedly by your side, like a concerned mother hen. 

If you had any dignity left, you'd have laughed, but as it is—you are probably bordering on crazy, and you don't want to push it. 

_Not today._

"Umm," You start as your eyes lock with that of one of the brothers who is looking at you with concerned filled eyes and you quickly break your gaze away. Focusing at a point on the floor somewhere by his feet, you bow low and mumble out an _"Annyeonghaseyo!"_

The words feel foreign on your tongue, even though your best friend is Korean. While you don't live in Korea and aren't Korean, your new extended family is. You know that they know English and originally you had no plans of speaking Korean. But nerves shot, and performance pressure high, the slightly accented greeting tumbled out before you even fully realised what you were saying. 

An awkward silence stretches on for a second too long, before the man whose feet you are drilling holes into with your gaze, is bowing and introducing himself. 

"Ah, Annyeonghaseyo! I am Kim Namjoon, the fourth oldest brother or well the middle one," Here he flashes you a quick close-lipped smile, and your eyes automatically stray to his dimples. 

_‘Pretty’_

While your eyes are still locked onto his dimples, utterly fascinated by their definition, he continues, "We have been waiting for you, it's a pleasure, to finally meet you Y/N-ssi!" His smile widens as he finishes his greeting, and you want to reply, but your eyes are, _again_ , focused onto his dimples.

_'So pretty.'_

It's when Sunmi pinches your side subtly that you clear your thoughts, moving your gaze away as you smile back—a soft, genuine curl of your lips. 

"Um, sorry I'm late, there was some traffic," Here you wave your hand in the air aimlessly before you realise what you are doing and force it down, biting your lip. "This is my best friend Sunmi, and um it's really nice, to finally be able to meet you all too!" You finish lamely. Your introduction, a mess of stutters and random flailing limbs, leaves your face feeling hotter by the second. 

"Finally! We have been waiting to meet our cute little _yeodongsaengie_ all day! I am Jung Hoseok, the third oldest and welcome to the family Y/n-ah!" Greets Hoseok, a bright megawatt smile overtaking his face, as he swoops in and gathers you in a hug. This time though you are ready and without a seconds delay, your hands wrap around Hoseok's back, as you awkwardly pat, unsure of his boundaries. 

Hoseok though has no such concern, as his strong, warm hands wrap affectionately around your shoulders, pulling you closer and giving you a proper bear hug. Somehow it _doesn't_ come as a surprise to you that Hoseok would be affectionate, something about his bright smile and sunny disposition had you feeling more comforted and reassured than awkward. 

Surrounded by your _now_ brother's warmth, you melt in his arms and for once enjoy the feeling of belonging in someone else's hold except Sunmis’. 

"Did you have any problems coming here? I knew one of us should have come to pick you up instead." Hoseok continues, his eyes soft and concerned as they rake over you, keeping you at arm's length, as he checks you for any injuries, and a laugh almost slips out of you at his over the top concern. 

"I am fine _Hoseok ss—_ " You pause, hesitant to continue as you think of what you should address him as before you try again, "Hoseok _-oppa?_ "

Your voice comes out soft, questioning and a little hesitant as you look up at Hoseok to see his reaction, but he's grinning. His smile somehow even brighter than it had been before, and then he's pulling you into another hug. 

His arms wrapping around your shoulders and softly rocking you from side to side as he coos, "Aish, call me Hobi-oppa, Y/n-ah! That's what all the dongsaengies call me!"

You giggle as your limited Korean knowledge kicks in and you realise he's talking about his younger brothers. A groan echoed from behind him and in response a laugh booms out of Hoseok, as he finally loosens his hold. 

Wrapping his arm around your shoulders, he turns to Sunmi, and again introduces himself, Sunmi doing the same. 

You watch the interaction with an unfamiliar almost, warm, feeling in your chest. Usually, it would be you introducing yourself to Sunmis' family at Christmas or family vacations for which you'd tag along; and your father was never really home enough to ever meet Sunmi. 

So, to finally have someone call _you_ family in front of your best friend, was a simple but strangely comforting thing, and you grin, feeling rapidly more at ease in your brothers embrace. 

"Aish Hob-ah! Stop hogging our little yeodongsaeng, will you?" Jin jokingly reprimands, and you chuckle, your grip around Hoseok tightening as you lean into his side. 

"Well, it's only fitting; I am going to be her favourite oppa, after all!" He jokes as his head tilts to look at you and he winks. His soft black hair slips low over his forehead, as his shimmery dark eyes sparkle from in between the gaps of his strands. And you smile softly, shaking your head fondly at his antics before you extract yourself from his embrace and move to introduce yourself to the rest of your stepbrothers. 

"Min Yoongi, second oldest, Welcome to the family Y/n." You smile and nod, a small _'Thank you oppa,'_ slipping out as you shake Yoongi's hand. His palm is soft, and a little cold against yours, and your smile widens at the small grin he gives you, blonde locks messy and rumpled as he runs his hand through them. 

Turning to look at the other three men in the room, you smile and bow as you greet them too. Your eyes rise when one of them steps forward, bowing to you, his cotton candy pink hair catching the light of the room and shining bright. But what gets your attention is his _smile_. Full lips curled into quite possibly the sweetest smile you have ever seen in your life, as his eyes turn into two crescent moons. 

"Nice to finally meet you, little sister, I am Park Jimin the hyung of the maknaes'" He winks before continuing, "and the fifth oldest one. We have been waiting to meet you for a while now. Glad to have you be a part of our not so little family! It might be a bit overwhelming at times, but know that we are all delighted to have you here." He grins, and you let out a chuckle yourself, comforted and appreciative of his efforts at trying to make you feel more at ease. 

"Thank you for welcoming me!I..uh am not the best at first impressions, but I promise I am not always such a clutz." You quip back and watch surprised, as Jimin throws his head back, eyes crinkling into those crescent moons again, as a laugh tumbles out of him. His hands rest on his chest, as he hunches over laughing and you smile, your gaze travelling to his palms and a snort slipping out when you realise his hands much like the rest of him are exceptionally pretty and delicate. 

You aren't usually very self-conscious, but surrounded by so many ridiculously attractive people, the insecurity was starting to creep in.

_Blessed men._

Shifting your gaze to the last two brothers, you smile, bowing a little as you greet them, but when only silence greets you back, your raise your head, eyes furrowed as you look up to see the last two of your seven step brothers looking at you with disinterest and maybe the slightest bit _disdain?_

A little more hesitant now, you smile at them again, but receive back even more silence. 

An awkward silence stretches on for a while, as you take in their appearance. You already know the names of the youngest two, had painstakingly learned then a week ago when your father had informed you that you'd have to move in with your extended family. 

Kim Taehyung, the one with crystal-like cerulean eyes and platinum blonde hair, that was almost silver. Long, messy strands that reached low and covered almost his entire eyes. His face so perfectly chiselled, it was like the gods personally took their time sculpting it, not a single flaw or blemish on his pale, smooth skin. 

In any other situation, you'd have gaped and taken your time appreciating the fineness that was his face, but since those crystal blue eyes of his were glaring angry holes into your forehead, you decide not to. 

_Next time._

Snapping your eyes away from Taehyung; your gaze falls onto the last brother, Jeon Jungkook, the youngest in the family, at least before you came along. 

For someone who was only a year older than you, his build was impressively large. Even from under the oversized loose tee he was wearing; you could see his broad shoulders. The t-shirt hugged his pectoral muscles before it loosened over the abbs. Jungkooks, from what you could only _assume_ , abdomen was coiled and defined under the loose shirt he was wearing. 

After a few more seconds of awkward silence during which you see Jimin hiss and glare at the duo from the side, you snap back to your senses. Clearing your throat, you twist onto your heels as you look back at Jimin, who stops mid hiss when your eyes catch his before he pushes his signature bright smile your way. 

The smile you give him is a little shaky, your awkwardness from before coming back in full force, in response to the two youngest giving you the cold shoulder. 

You aren't surprised though; you were expecting _some_ sort of resistance. When your father had pretty much ordered you to move into your new 'mothers' house, you were pretty pissed too. You had then thrown a tantrum, screaming and crying about how unfair he was being. That even as your father, he had no right to uproot your life like that, but no matter what you said he didn't budge. 

His decision was final, and so cursing and screaming, a week later here you are, trying your best to be the ideal sister your father expects you to be, as you attempt to accept these seven strangers as your family.

_'Life just doesn't give me a break, does it?'_ You think wryly, letting out a soft sigh when you feel the glares against the sides of your face darken. 

_Okay then, act like a bunch of pouty little brats, see if I care._

Rolling your eyes at the immaturity, your two _older_ brothers were currently showcasing, you move back to Sunmi who was now talking to Namjoon. 

"Your boxes were delivered a few hours ago, we've moved them all up to your room, but we haven't unpacked any. Would you like help with the unpacking? I have to leave for court now, but a few of us are free today, and we'd be more than happy to help." Namjoon offers, his dimpled smile again on full display, and if you were any more juvenile, you'd have called it a personal attack. 

_Pretty 2x._

Feeling the glares at your back not letting up, you just shake your head. You have a feeling Namjoon is talking about the two overgrown babies who are currently wishing death upon you, but you'd rather have the boxes fall and slowly suffocate you to your demise than have them help.

"It's fine; I can do it. Thank you for sending the boxes up to my room though!" You reply, and Namjoon just ruffles your hair in response. Squealing you try to move away from his reach and groan, fixing your now rats nest of hair. 

Chuckling at your apparently _hilarious_ antics Namjoon nods and calls Jimin over, asking him to escort you and Sunmi to your room. You figure since it's still early on in the day, most of them have their jobs to attend to, and will probably take their time to socialise with you later. 

You don't mind, the more time you have to get your shit together, the better. 

Waving goodbye to Namjoon and everybody else, You, Sunmi and Jimin make your way to the stairs. Why you can't just use the elevator like before, you don't know, but considering it has been less than an hour since you have joined your new family, you don't bother complaining. 

_Too soon._

Much like downstairs, the interior of the floor above was simplistic. Metallic, with lots of glassed walls and plenty of potted plants. 

_'Someone in this family is obsessed with plants.'_ You think amused as your gaze travels to all the different types of plants around you. Some of them, you think, look too green and fancy to be real. 

The marble staircase is wide and curved, and once you reach the end, you turn back to look down and raise a brow, impressed, at how high the floor was. 

_Fancy indeed._

"This floor is where most of the rooms are, only Namjoon-hyung and Yoongi-hyung live on the floor below," Jimin explains, as he leads you to where you assume your room is. 

Passing by different doors on your way, you wonder whose room is which. You'll figure it out later you know, but you just hope none of the younger brothers are near you. 

_'Except Jimin, he's nice.'_ You decide as you follow his lean figure. 

Pink, a colour you think would look absurd or emo on anyone else, looks bright somehow fitting, on your brother's head, and you watch entranced as his soft silky strands bounce with every step he takes. 

_'What is with these people and their genetics?'_

It's that thought that leads you to an epiphany. You almost stop in your tracks but stumble forward when Sunmi nudges you from behind. 

Earlier you were too nervous and wired, terrified of somehow messing up and offending your entire new family and so you hadn't given it much thought. But thinking back, you realise there was something weird about how they all introduced themselves. 

Min, Jung, Jeon. 

Their last names were different. You don't understand how you hadn't noticed it before when you had learned all their names, but you blame your anger and stupidity for the oversight. 

'Kim Young-Soon', your step-mother, and the woman you currently hated with all of your being. 

However, what you hadn't realised before but now do was how only Seokjin, Namjoon, and Taehyung, had the same last name, 'Kim' as their mother. 

_'What the heck is up with this family?'_

More confused than anything else by your realisation, you continue to follow Jimin blindly. His voice fading into the background, as your eyes track his movements, the way his full lips curl when he smiled, and your suspicion only grows. 

There was something your new family wasn’t telling you, and you were going to find out _just_ what it was. 

_At least now I have something to do besides stressing out over suddenly having seven brothers, two of whom would set me on fire if given a chance._

Nodding, you decide you are going to have to do some interrogation tonight. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**If you like my work, leave me your feedback, even if its just a single word, it leaves me feeling immensely happy.**_
> 
> I updated in less than a week! Heh, clearly my stir craziness is achieving new heights. Oh well, more content for y’all so _yeeehawww_ 🥴


	3. tears richochet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title a shout out to the beautiful album i.e, folklore by taylor swift. Give it a listen, it's every bit as peaceful as the name suggests.

"How about this?"

"Nah, it's too sideways," you reply from where you are standing near the doorway of your bedroom.

"Right or left?" Sunmi asks, as she grips the frame and distances her torso from the wall, trying to see for herself where she should shift the frame.  From the looks of it, she's failing spectacularly at it.

Suppressing a snort, you answer ‘left’ and hum when she tilts the frame and you are finally satisfied with its position on the wall. Walking back in, you marvel at the sheer  _ grandness _ of your room for the umpteenth time as you take in all the space around you. Roughly four times the size of your old bedroom, it’s  _ huge _ . 

Floor to ceiling windows on the side opposite the bedroom door, before which is your queen-sized bed. A decent size, intricately designed bedside table beside it, with the floor underneath covered with a soft, plush rosy white carpet. A walk-in closet the size of your old bedroom, a bathroom with a jacuzzi, curtains heavy enough to suffocate and kill you if they were to ever fall upon your body; your new bedroom screams  _ rich _ . 

It would be a lie to say that you don't feel intimidated. Raised in a middle-class, humble neighbourhood, you hadn't in your wildest dreams ever imagined living in a room like this. But here you are, soaking in the reality of the moment; and realising that it feels like something between a dream and a nightmare. 

Nearly four hours since you first started unpacking, and five since you had first met your new family, most of your room is organised. All boxes untaped and emptied as you and Sunmi worked hard to make the unnecessarily large, empty room less of a hotel room and more like the bedroom of a 19-year-old girl. 

Sighing, you push the last book of your novel collection into the bookshelf. Made from some sort of whitewood, much like everything else, it is designed intricately and looming large over your small shadow. 

"This is it."

Slouching, you fall onto your back, eyes straying to the ceiling above and the textures carved onto it, refusing to reply to Sunmi’s statement. Agreeing would mean that you'd have to let her go and you don't think you can, the isolation and abnormality of the situation already sinking in and scaring you. 

"Mmn," you reply noncommittally instead. 

A long sigh, and then your best friend is curling on the floor beside you, her hand snaking around yours, fingers intertwining, as she silently lets you know that she is here for you. Repressing the tears you can already feel trying to escape your eyes, you squeeze her hand back. 

The clammy, ice-cold touch of your skin against hers goes unmentioned as you both lay there in silence. 

* * *

"I'll call you every day," you whisper, your voice choked as your death grip around Sunmi's waist tightens, and she lets out a strangled moan before pushing you away. 

"Woman, stop being so dramatic! You'll see me back in college every  _ freaking _ day once summer ends and you know I'll come to see you whenever you want me to, the hour-long ride be damned," Sunmi chides. There’s no bite in her words, and her voice wobbles despite her trying to act tough, but you don't call her out on it and only nod. 

"You better, you airhead, lord knows you'll probably sob your body dry without seeing me every day." 

A giggle comes out of your best friend's tall, lean body, one you are entirely too envious of, and her eyes soften, your smile softening with it. 

"Take care, will ya?" 

"Always," you whisper back, and with one last kiss thrown over her shoulder, she leaves. Her figure grows smaller and farther with every step she takes, and you bite your lip to prevent a call from tumbling out. Not moving an inch until you hear the distant roar of her car driving away, you finally shut the door when you no longer hear or see her car. 

Suddenly you feel scarily small. Like a tiny, irrelevant existence born in a world too large and glamorous; a world where you evidently do  _ not _ belong. 

Meandering through the floor, you gaze at the picture frames on the wall as though you are the actress of some old seventies cinema, bemoaning the absence of a long lost lover. 

Dramatic, yes, but you have always been more on the theatrical spectrum of humankind, and it isn't like there is much you can do right now anyway. Not unless you want to hole up in your room and stew in your sadness alone. And even though that might sound appealing to most (considering what your room now looks like), it isn’t something you felt like doing at the moment. 

So you mindlessly gaze at the pictures, the setting sun casting a warm orange glow in the darkening hallway as you try to find some semblance of familiarity, a speck of comfort or intimacy. 

"Y/n?" a soft voice calls out to you, and you twist on your heels, your eyes meeting with those of Yoongi. 

"Yoongi-oppa." Voice coming out soft, your words fade at the end as your eyes track the way Yoongi's face glows when the rays of the setting sun hit his skin. Long messy dark blonde hair makes space for his glittering curvy eyes to shine through, and your breath gets caught somewhere in your chest when you look at the  _ vision _ that was Min Yoongi. 

"Exploring?" he asks casually, but even without knowing him for all that long, you can detect the underlying layer of concern in his voice. You don't know if he is being open with you right now, or if you can just read him well, but the concern makes your heart feel a little warmer. 

"Something like that." Your answer is ambiguous, but Yoongi doesn't ask you to elaborate, so you don't add anything more, turning back and looking at the pictures again instead.

"This something you enjoy?" Yoongi asks as he moves beside you, hands stuffed deep in the pockets of his pants, and  _ leans _ ; making himself comfortable against the wall. 

Your eyes stray to him. "Sounds like you don't."

"Not really my forte, I can appreciate it from a distance, sure, but not an enthusiast," he replies, the back of his head hitting the wall behind as he looks up at you. 

Humming, you shrug. "Same, I guess, it's just  _ fascinating _ to me. I wish I was smart enough to understand what half of these actually mean, but I am not, so I just appreciate the beauty and move on."

"Fair enough." 

You nod and let the silence reign again, but it's a comfortable silence, the kind of quiet where you are both lost in your own thoughts but at the same time appreciate the company of the other. 

Slowly the sun sets behind you, and the glassed walls shimmer one last time before the ceiling lights are switched on, bathing the entire floor in warm but bright light. 

Yoongi had been silent the entire time as you explored the floor like a child in a zoo, poking and prodding the potted plants,  _ oo-ing  _ and  _ aah-ing  _ over the art around you, fascinated and occupied with the attractions around. 

But when the lights switch on, he clears his throat and gets up from the couch he had taken a seat on some time ago, head tilting as he wordlessly asks you a question. You nod back and smile, making your way to him as you finally get ready to spend some time with the rest of your newly acquired family. 

As you both make your way to the main hall, you don't miss how your heart is feeling much lighter now. The silent company that Yoongi had provided you with seems to have put you at ease and calmed your racing thoughts. 

* * *

Walking into the kitchen alone, you try your best to make as little noise as possible. Yoongi, much to your displeasure, had promised that he'd meet you out in a few minutes only to disappear inside of his bedroom and leave you to your own devices. 

The sudden bout of bravado from earlier has left your body too, in its place leaving raring, gut-twisting anxiety. 

Tiptoeing to the refrigerator, you take out a bottle and pour yourself a glass. The chilled water slides down your throat, quenching your thirst, and you let out a satisfied sigh, smacking your lips in contentment after. 

"That thirsty, huh?" 

You jump, startled, heart racing and in your throat, as your gaze snaps to the doorway and finds Seokjin standing there. Suit coat hung over his left arm, and a button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows, he was clearly returning back home after a workday. 

_ "Holy fuck, you scared the  _ **_shit_ ** _ outta me!"  _

Your brain to mouth filter is seemingly  _ not _ working after being startled. Feeling anxious was a problem enough, but being scared after is evidently enough to send your last two brain cells out the window. Your common sense and the knowledge that Kim Seokjin is now your stepbrother,  _ eldest  _ stepbrother, flying out the window along with them. 

You hear crickets chirping in the distance as an awkward silence blankets the room, and in that moment you want to die. Spontaneously combust and float away into thin air, disappear, dissolve, vanish— _ die _ . 

"I am so sorry, can we pretend I didn't say that,“you voice out meekly, your eyes avoiding Seokjin’s and instead finding purchase on the wall behind him, seemingly fascinated by the utter whiteness of it. 

Hearing a chuckle ring and break the awkwardness in the air, you shift your gaze to the source of said chuckle and catch your eldest brother's gaze. "It's alright Y/n, I get that this is a big adjustment. Please don't feel like you need to rush on anybody's accord, take your time."

And then Kim Seokjin  _ smiles _ —his pouty, full lips stretched into a small but ridiculously warm smile, and something in your chest  _ clenches  _ at the sight of it. Warning bells ring in the back of your mind, and you squash the thoughts threatening to come forward, their not-so-appropriate nature resulting in an immediate rejection from your end. 

Mumbling a thank you, you let him know you'll be down soon and then dash to your bedroom, slamming the door closed once you're inside and sinking down onto the floor. 

_ What the  _ **_hell_ ** _ was that!? _

Raking a hand through your hair, you groan in annoyance, wincing when said hand gets stuck in a tangle and pulls a few strands loose.

Looking back at your impression so far in front of Seokjin,  _ one _ of your seven step brothers, it was nothing but absolutely  _ marvellous.  _ So you can't imagine what could  _ possibly _ go wrong when you sit down at the dinner table and are surrounded by all seven of them. 

_ Nothing, nothing at all, nope-nada-zilch! _

Frustrated, you slide a hand down your face, hoping to calm down, but the move only ends up irritating your skin under. The day has been long, and all that you pray for now is that it ends soon. Your bed, which from the looks of it would be fit for  _ royalty, _ is beckoning you over too. 

With one last huff, you are pushing yourself up onto your feet and to the bathroom to splash some water, before you go and join the rest of your new family. 

* * *

Pulling the chair in, you wring your hands nervously under the table, away from any prying eyes. One by one, the rest of your family filters in and takes a seat; Seokjin and Yoongi both pick their seats at the two heads of the table. Hoseok and Namjoon sit on either side of you, with Jimin plopping himself down opposite you, and getting flanked by Jungkook and Taehyugn on either side. 

Not much conversation took place as they picked their seats, everyone sufficiently tired enough after a long day, but they  _ did  _ smile or nod at you when they first entered the dining room. 

_ 'Well most of them at least,'  _ you think, eyeing the two youngest, who had both refused to give you even a cursory glance, resulting in your smile going unseen and unreciprocated. Their attitude, however, doesn't bother you too much at this point; as it is , they are virtually nothing more than strangers to you. 

Conversations pick up around you, and you feel slightly out of place, as though you are a guest over for dinner rather than their new stepsister, but the feeling doesn't last long, because both Namjoon and Hoseok soon pull you into a conversation. Inquiries come forth about your day, and how your unpacking had gone.

The conversation is mostly superficial, nothing too emotionally challenging; neither of them ask how it feels being a part of their family or something like that, and you are relieved. Grateful, because you don't know if you'd be able to answer those questions anyway. The whole situation is still very odd no matter how many minutes of the day pass. 

Someone clears their throat, and your eyes snap to Seokjin, who is pushing his chair back and picking up his glass, the red wine inside sloshing with the movement. 

"I've done this before, and yet it never gets any less nerve-wracking," Seokjin starts, and your eyes furrow in confusion, but he continues before you can think about it any more. "Y/n," he says and tips his head in your direction, "I know this must feel a little scary—actually, scratch that, you're probably terrified right now, and that's okay.” He pauses, and takes a breath before continuing, “I'm sure it feels crazy suddenly being thrust into an already established family and being told that now you're one of them, and I just want you to know that I get it. We get it, and we are here for you. If you don’t want to accept us as family, that’s okay too; all of us would understand and support whatever decision you make. I just...” Sighing, he locks eyes with you.

“...I just hope you can let us in eventually, family or not." 

Seokjin's eyes bore into yours as he says this, stressing the 'us', and you gulp, feeling the back of your throat _tighten_ at his words. Sensing the fine thread of control that you had over your emotions loosening, you swivel your gaze to the table instead, nodding, your vision growing blurry as you try to blink back the burn in your eyes. 

The room goes quiet, as the boys give you time to collect yourself—or sob, you don't know, but you appreciate the consideration nonetheless.

It was going good, it really was. You were holding on, no matter how precarious the hold was, you were  _ holding _ on. Grasping onto that last string of control and restraint you had with all of your might. 

But then Hoseok is wrapping his arms around your shoulders and pulling you into his side, letting you nestle your face in the crook of his neck, and the string  _ snaps _ , his neck growing wet as tears stream down your face and slide down his skin. 

For a few minutes, you forget that you are now surrounded by strangers who you have to accept and call your family. For a few  _ false _ , delusional minutes you forget that they don't know you, that the care they are showing is genuine and not something they are obligated to. That the one whose hands are drawing circles across your back, the one whose voice is whispering reassurances in your ear—stupid sweet-nothings that you would tell a small child to make them feel better, actually gives a  _ shit  _ about you. 

You forget the reality and slip into a safe headspace, letting the warmth of another human encircle you, hold you, wrap you in its cocoon as you  _ weep _ . 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _  
>  **Y/n is going through some shitt here. Imagine being thrust into a dynamic that has been established for years, and then having to act like you are meant to be a part of it.**   
>  _
> 
> Shout-out to 'glassgirlceci' for being my beta for this one. Feedback means the world to me, so tell me what you thought, What would you do if you were in oc’s shoes? 
> 
> Until next time! Take care you sweet soul and Oo! Go stream folklore 💖


	4. Uh?

Hello! I hope you are doing well and I am sorry but this is not a chapter.

It is, _however_ , an update.

So originally I was doing this just on my Tumblr as it is more interactive than Ao3 and every now and then I ask my readers about what they'd like to see in a story or a scene that they'd like to read. 

But—

I think it's important that I let you all know about this poll here too since it ultimately decides whether I update your favourite story next or not. 

The poll question is:

Between "Enchanted To Meet You" and "Brother's Conflict," Which story would you like me to start updating next alongside my **new ot7 hybrid au series "Kintsugi"**? 

whichever fic gets the **most no of votes in the next** is the series I am gonna start working on finishing next. Whichever fic loses will **most probably not be updated** until I am done writing “Kintsugi” and the “winner fic?” (idk, whichever one gets more votes basically.)

Now I can’t say how long that’ll take, which is why I am asking you all to **choose**. 

To vote, follow this link "<https://ditttiii.tumblr.com/ask>" to my Tumblr ask box and drop-in your choice. **Any votes submitted here in ao3 comments will not be counted**. You do not need a Tumblr account to vote and it will take less than a minute to type in your answer. 

I am doing this because I am overwhelmed, exhausted and mentally not in the best place. I love writing but balancing three different series is draining and I am all but a measly human. I don't want to leave you all hanging because of personal reasons, so this is the next best alternative that I could think of. 

And..um..yeah! That's it! Kintsugi will be updated regularly as I am enjoying writing it a lot and also am extremely proud of how it is coming along. If you are a fan of ETMY and love hybrid au's, check out Kintsugi! "<https://archiveofourown.org/works/25800928?view_full_work=true>" It's an ot7xreader hybrid au too, just with a different plot and much better writing. I am genuinely proud of how this fic is coming along and it'd mean the world to me if you check it out ❤

I hope you are well and happy wherever you are. Sending you all my love!

Thank you so much for all your support. I am grateful for it all 🥰

GO VOTEEE!!

_And May the odds be ever in your favour~_


	5. this is me trying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** surprise! surprise! didn’t think i’d be updating this one did ya? heh. This update goes out to every single person that voted for B.C and left the nicest comments and feedback. ETMY is a monster of a fic plot and popularity wise, so it isn’t really a surprise that B.C lost the poll, but I was still blown away by the amount of people who wanted to see B.C first. ETMY and Kintsugi from now on will be on my regular rotation, but every now and then I’ll try my best to update B.C too. This update is a promise of that. Thank-you and I hope you enjoy this one ❤

_ ‘You are such a wuss.’ _

Your brain supplies unhelpfully. It’s not like you don’t already know that, but of course, your conscience felt the need to rub it in, make sure that it  _ really  _ sinks in, that you fully realize the fact that you just bawled your eyes out in front of your family.

Family, a word familiar to many somehow feels strange to you. 

You know that their eyes are on you, can  _ feel  _ them boring into you, looking — _ seeking _ — for answers, or maybe they are just filled with concern. 

You don’t know and for once, you can’t bring yourself to care either. 

_ ‘I am so tired.’ _

You think from where your face is still nestled in the comforting warmth of Hoseok’s neck, one of his hands is around your shoulders, rubbing your arm in a comforting gesture while his chin rests on the crown of your head. _ It feels nice _ , you decide. Like having a warm blanket wrapped around you, except the blanket has a steady heartbeat, and it moves and gives comfort hugs. 

Yeah. 

“You’ll be okay, trust me. We’ll figure things out y/n. You are not alone in this okay? I am here for you, we are  _ all  _ here for you.” Hoseok stresses the “all” and you think back to when Seokjin did the same a few minutes ago. 

“Us”, “all” —it’s as though they are trying to show their support,  _ all  _ of their support, and yet you can’t help but think of the younger brothers. 

Jungkook and Taehyung. Two of your seven brothers. 

Should they really be using words like us and all when two of the seven hate you? Abhor your very presence? Even without looking up you know that the two scrapes of chairs sliding against the floor you had heard a few minutes ago belonged to the two of them. 

_ ‘Whatever, I don’t care,’  _ you reason with yourself, but it’s obvious even to you that it’s a lie. You care. You just wish you didn’t. 

Breathing in one last time the soothing fragrance of Hoseok’s cologne, you finally raise your head. Eyes still lowered, you move to wipe your tears away but the visible tremble of your hands makes you pause. You feel naked,  _ vulnerable _ , like all your wounds are out in the open to see, to prod, and you  _ hate  _ it.

Abruptly dropping your hands and stuffing them in between your clenched thighs, you cough, clearing your throat and putting on your best smile. It feels fake, the stretch of your lips stings and looking at the unconvinced faces of your brothers around you, you know that they can see your chipped facade too. But you still don’t drop the smile, and with a bow of your head, you thank Seokjin for the food and move to stand up. 

“Um, I feel a little drained. It has been a long day with all the unpacking, and I think I am gonna retire a little early tonight. Thank you so much for welcoming me and...” you trail off at a clear loss of words but Namjoon swoops in and helps you out by reassuring, “It’s all right y/n-ah. I am sure you are tired, please let me walk you to your room, just give me a minute okay?” His eyes are earnest, soft,  _ warm  _ and you blink, surprised but nod nonetheless, “Sure.”

Internally wincing at how painfully awkward you sound, you move to help them clear the table but Yoongi stops you, placing his hand over yours, he gently takes the plate from your hands with a soft,  _ “I’ve got it,”  _ and moves to the kitchen. You stand there in the middle of the large dining room, wringing your hands, and biting your lip. It’s all so foreign, and you can’t decide if you like it or not. You are so used to cooking dinner every night and eating it alone by yourself because your dad was very rarely home, that this feels different,  _ alien _ . Twenty-four hours ago, you were still in your modest two-floored home, surrounded by the comforting and familiar warmth of your kitchen eating instant ramen out of a cup because you were too tired to cook, and because all your kitchen utensils were packed, ready to be moved out. 

Twenty-four hours later though you are standing in the dining room of a mansion that is easily four times the size of your home, and it’s _ disconcerting.  _

“Alright, I’m done,” Namjoon calls from where he is entering the dining room, a bottle of water in his hands which he passes to you once he is close, “It’s room temperature, I can swap it for cold water if that’s what you prefer?” 

The gesture is simple, it’s just him passing you a bottle of water in case you feel thirsty during the night, but it’s again so  _ alien,  _ and you’re not used to this. It’s a divergence from what you consider routine _ — _ filling your own bottle with fresh tap water every night before going to sleep _ — _ and you can’t help how it leaves you feeling off-kilter, unsure as to what you should do next. 

Your manners thankfully kick in, maybe a second too late, but you accept it with a soft thankyou regardless, not wanting to seem rude and offend Namjoon.

Much like they had all been doing ever since you had first stepped foot into their home (now your home too), Namjoon politely didn’t call you out on your skittishness and instead with a smile fell into step beside you. 

Your grip around the bottle tightens as an uncomfortable silence cloaks the two of you and you bite the inside of your cheek, mind racing to think of something to say, something to fill in the awkward void of silence that the two of you are stuck in, but every plausible route of conversation sounds forced to your ears, and you can’t help it when your frustration with yourself rises by the second. 

Apparently your brain is now incapable of small talk. Fantastic. 

You don’t even realise you are grumbling out loud until Namjoon calls out your name, “y/n? Everything okay? Did you say something?” 

Your head swivels to look at him so quickly you almost get a whiplash before you continue the _ — _ by now _ — _ long standing tradition of being tongue tied in the presence of your new family and say,  _ “Huh?”  _

Ah, Eloquent as always. 

Despite his best attempt at masking his worry, some of it still seeps through in the furrow of his brows and the way the edges of his lips turn down in a tiny worried frown _ — _ the sight of which has pure, thick guilt pooling instantly into the pit of your stomach. 

Worrying them is the last thing you want to do, it hasn’t even been a day and the burden of being a bother sits heavy on your shoulders. Family for you for the longest time has just been you and your dad, the two of you forming a patchwork of a family, filling multiple roles at the same time. 

_ Papa. _

The man is your dad, mom, sibling,  _ hell your damn best friend; _ and there isn’t anything you would not do for him and his happiness. As unwilling as you had initially been, (and still are) the simple fact of the matter is that seeing papa in love, seeing him happy, content and for once not worrying about you or going on a crazy death adventure is nice.  _ Safe.  _

More often than not he wasn’t home, and the trips he went on were dangerous and you had always lived in the fear of one day having police knock on your door with the news that your father was dead.

He is all you have and when he  _ was  _ home, he made up for his lack of presence and you were okay with how things were. Well mostly okay, but you weren’t about to let those thoughts cloud your head again. Papa gave you his all, or as much of him as he could and you weren’t going to be an ungrateful brat. You were lucky to have him as your father and you wouldn’t— _ shouldn't  _ forget that. 

_ ‘For papa,’ _ you decide. For papa you need to do better, try harder, put more of an effort into accepting your new family. You _now_ have seven brothers whether you like it or not, that’s a fact, so you need to pull on your big girl pants and accept it. 

It’s with that thought in mind that you put on your best, brightest smile, look Namjoon in the eye, and open your mouth to reassure him, “Me? I am good! Never been better! How are you?”

…

God— _ fucking _ —dammit. 

The furrow between Namjoon’s brows deepens, and you remind yourself to go bang your head on the nearest wall as soon as you are alone. 

Sensing the need to do some damage control you let out an awkward laugh, which, looking at Namjoon’s expression, did  _ not  _ help matters. At all. 

Coughing, you clear your throat before you stop in front of your bedroom door. Rising on the balls of your feet, you twist the cap of the bottle in your hands to expend some nervous energy, thus keeping your hands occupied and killing the possibility of awkward, flailing limbs. Right you are in college, you know how to speak English, you’ve got this.

Do. Not. Be. Weird.

_ Honesty here we go.  _

“Nam...joon-oppa,” you start, soft, a little hesitant and unsure but determined to push through. “I..this isn’t easy for me. I am not gonna stand here and lie anymore because I want to give this... _ us _ ...a chance, I just,” you huff finally turning to look Namjoon in the eye, “I don’t know how to?” 

The furrow between Namjoon’s brows stays but his eyes are swimming with sympathy, understanding and more than anything else clear of any speck of judgement, and above all  _ that  _ is what encourages you, pushes you to plow on, “It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of this family, or well atleast I am not entirely against the idea of it. I..” your words break off as you pause, biting your lower lip as you try to decide how much you are comfortable sharing with Namjoon. 

“I just need time. This is too much, too soon. I’ve never had this you know?” you gesture to the surrounding space, a long hallway with multiple doors spaced far apart from each other, the rooms inside lived in by family who less than twenty four hours ago were strangers to you.

“It’s not that I hate this or any of you, if that’s what you think. The reason I..cried..um is because of how overwhelming all of this is, I am trying but it’s just hard and I am so sorr —”

“Y/n, you don’t have to explain anything,” Namjoon breaks you off, one of his hands rising to engulf yours from where it’s still gripping the bottle. His grip is loose, barely a touch of skin but coupled with his one sided small dimpled smile and soft eyes, it makes something in your chest tighten. Like a fist clenched too tight around it, and you can’t say anything for a moment, confused by your feelings, yet comforted by the warmth around your hands.

Blinking, you finally snap out of whatever trace you had gotten lost in. “No, but I do. I...you all have been nothing but nice and welcoming to me, yet all I have done is cry and make it seem like —”

“No,” Namjoon interrupts you again, halting you from wording your faults like he had before. Hours later, when you think back to this moment you’ll realise he never once let you take the blame for anything but in this moment, confused and tired, the realisation slips past you. 

“y/n, I understand. I may not know  _ exactly  _ how you feel right now, but I do have a vague idea and I understand that it can’t be easy. As nice as it would be to just fall into a routine and be one big happy family, the reality of the matter is that it just doesn’t work like that. And I get it. So do the others. Take as much time as you need to get comfortable, nobody here expects anything from you. We’ll take whatever you give us and be glad for it. Trust, company, love, whatever that may be,” Namjoon speaks with confidence, like he truly believes his words and somehow that’s enough to make you smile. It’s not a big grin, it’s barely an upturn of your lips, the edges curling in a way that they just  _ barely  _ no longer resemble a straight line or a downturn frown, but one look at it has Namjoon grinning. 

His lips curling into a glossy, dimpled grin, dark brown eyes turning into two happy crescent moons, high cheekbones glistening under a thin sheen of sweat and oil, and the sight of him has something warm gripping your already tight heart. 

Head lowering to allow your hair to curtain your face, you let slip a tiny grin of your own, biting your lip to stop it from spreading too wide. Hesitating for only a second, you move before you can wuss your way out, hands slipping around Namjoon’s waist, your cheek lands on his shoulder, before your eyes fall shut and you  _ hug _ . 

If Namjoon is surprised, he hides it well because his hands loop around your back just as quickly. Strong arms curling and encompassing you in an unfamiliar but protective embrace, and you smile, lips curling against the soft cotton of his t-shirt. 

“Thank you, I am bad with words but I hope you know that I appreciate you saying that. Like a lot.” 

Namjoon huffs out a laugh, the strands at the nape of your neck tickling in response to the puff of breath, “I get it y/n-ah, believe it or not most of us do.” 

You hum, the words going unregistered in your brain as you greedily soak up the warmth and affection Namjoon so easily provides. Maybe you are being too forward, too affectionate too fast, maybe you don’t have the right to take his affection when you can’t give them all yours, but cocooned under his warm, tender love you can’t bring yourself to care. Not right now. Not when you finally have someone to hug, to be comforted by, to be protected by — to be loved by. 

Your bond with them is new and fragile, but it has potential. It has the potential to someday bloom and grow, the potential to tie you all together as a family and your lonely, aching soul desires it, craves it so bad that it  _ hurts _ . 

Feelings a jumbled mess, most of you is still hesitant to fully let them in, to allow yourself to feel too familiar because you know that the only reason they are being nice to you is because they  _ have  _ to be. The marriage of their mother to your father put them under that obligation and you get that, you do. You aren’t harboring any delusional beliefs about them loving you like they love each other, or like they would their sister; the not step kind. 

You get it. 

The reality is a bitter pillow to swallow, but it’s the truth and it’s with that sombre realisation that you tighten your arms around Namjoon one last time, before you detach yourself and step away. Maybe you won’t have all of their love, and maybe you’ll never be as close to them as they are to each other, but maybe you don’t have to be. It’ll be fine, you’ll carve out a little niche for yourself, and that will be enough. 

It will have to be. 

“Is your room okay? Jin picked the bookshelf, bed and well most of it out, but we can go shopping tomorrow if you would rather have something different,” Namjoon offers, hands inside his pockets as he slouches, tall frame curling inwards so that he can still look you in the eye. 

You smile, the small action and effort on his part warming your heart, “It’s perfect, I am in love with it. The curtains, not gonna lie, I hope to dear lord, they never fall on me because I am pretty sure they can suffocate me to my grave,” you snort, joking. 

Chuckling Namjoon rubs the end of his nose seemingly a little embarrassed, “Yeah, Jin hates the sun hitting his face first thing in the morning, so the entire house has them.” 

“Ah, and someone still chose glass for walls?” you ask amused. 

“Taehyung can be...adamant at times,” he trails off. 

Humming you nod in reply, reluctant to talk about the youngest brothers. Feeling a yawn coming, you cover your mouth with the back of your hand, eyes squinting as drowsiness sweeps through your body. 

“Well, that’s my cue to leave,” Namjoon says, stepping back.

“Sorry about that, I'm usually not this big of a royal mess,” you say, figure growing slack against the hardwood of your bedroom door. 

Exaggeratedly biting back a grin, Namjoon nods with an over the top agreeing face, “Of course, absolutely. Uh-huh.”

Snorting you turn on your heels, “Good night oppa!”

A chuckle and a _ ‘G’night y/n-ah,’ _ greets your ears, before the slam of your bedroom door rings in the quiet of the room and silence cloaks you again. 

Sighing you slip out your phone from the back pocket of your jeans, turning on the screen and groan when you see how late it is. Sunmi, unless out partying, would usually go to bed early. She'd more often than not cite the some old reason, something along the lines of dark circles and dull skin, which you don’t have to worry about since your skin isn’t nearly as nice anyway. 

_ Too much effort too.  _

Biting your lip, you stand there debating whether to take a shower or not. Usually you prefer taking one before going to bed, but today has been a grinder of a day and you think you deserve a free pass. 

Cracking your neck, you finally conclude a shower to be too much work, and with one long, stretched out yawn, fall onto your bed face first. 

_ God this smells divine.  _

Internally making a note to find out what detergent they use, you snuggle into the warmth of your comforter and finally let the tug of sleep pull you under. 

* * *

When you wake up, it’s to a scratchy, parched throat and a mild throbbing ache behind your eyes. Wincing, you push your face deeper into the comforter, cursing your past self to the deepest, darkest pits of hell for forgetting to close the curtains before falling asleep. 

The harsh glare of the morning sun feels scorching hot against the back of your neck, and you twist your head to scowl at the window only to regret that decision very,  _ very  _ quickly. 

_ Right, big windows. Fuck me. _

Retinas burned, you stumble out of the bed and somehow manage to make your way to the bathroom half blind. Any other day you’d take your time to admire the lavish and gorgeous bathroom (now yours), but the ache behind your eyes is steadily growing and the urge to dip it under a stream of steady, lukewarm water is too strong to be pushed aside. 

Stripping yourself off the day old clothes, you sigh in bliss when the water hits your aching, sore muscles. Cool enough to feel refreshing, but warm enough to not make you shiver, your body goes lax, muscles loosening as you watch the water glide down your body and into the drain. 

Picking a random body wash from the assortment of products lining the wall, you open the top and take a whiff off it, barely holding in the moan of pure bliss when the fruity, sweet fragrance of green apple and honey wafts upto your nose. 

_ God bless whoever chose this. _

You take your time scrubbing; soaping up the luffa with soft, lazy strokes and letting it caress your skin softly. With your college being off, you have all the time in the world at your leisure, or well as much of it as you could, with the looming cloud of interacting and spending time with your new family rumbling over your head. 

_ Today’s goal: Don’t trip. That’s it.  _

You stay submerged in the tub until the ends of your fingers grow wrinkled and your body feels loose. Getting dressed, however, is comparatively a much quicker affair. A simple olive green full sleeved tee paired with slim fit black jeans, you choose to let your hair dry naturally and just let them be. The collar of your tee grows a little wet with every passing second but you still can’t be bothered to dry your hair.

The bedroom door softly clicks close behind you and you bite your lip, torn between going off to explore on your own and going down to meet whoever was up and about. 

Rising on the balls of your feet, you twist your neck to look around the long hallway around you. Stretched far wide and long, the last door seems a little too far away, the space a little too huge for a home. It reminds you more of a hotel hallway, clean and silent, people locked behind their bedroom doors, uncaring of what’s happening outside. You know that’s not the case here, or at least you hope it isn’t. 

Your slippers almost feel a little too cheap to be touching the polished, expensive, white flooring and you huff, the constant barrage of insecurities, by now, a continuous annoying hum in the back of your mind. 

Even with seven other men living under the same big roof, you see neither hide nor hair of any of them as the morning sunlight streams inside and creates a gentle, luminescent glow all across the floor. The green of the leaves seems brighter, somehow crisper and it’s only when you lean closer to take a look that you realise the soil is wet with tiny drops of water splattered across the leaves. 

_ Huh, someone watered them not too long ago.  _

You don’t find anyone on the floor below so you can’t help but wonder who it was. Whichever one of your seven brothers was responsible for the insane amount of indoor plants, clearly took his responsibility seriously. Not a single leaf was yellow or anything less than a gleaming, fresh green. It’s the meticulous nature of the job done that makes you question whether instead of one of your seven step brothers, if maybe it was a gardener's job. 

Nodding in approval of your theory, you chalk it up to being the work of a gardener and move to brew yourself some coffee. One glance at your phone and suddenly it makes sense why you hadn’t bumped into anyone yet. Rudely awoken by harsh sunlight streaming in from a too large window, what you hadn’t realised before was how early it still is. Barely 7 am on a weekend of all days, it’s no surprise you are the only one walking around. 

You pick up your mug after pouring in a  _ generous  _ amount of sugar, and make your way to the balcony outside. You hadn’t gotten a chance to explore yesterday, but you decide to do it today. If you’re going to live in a mansion, then you’re going to do it without a map on your phone dammit. You are a smart bitch.

Most of the time at least. 

Pushing open the sliding door, you take your slippers off, humming when you feel the cool wood under your feet. The early morning sun rises from behind you, and the soft rays bath the vast open space ahead of you in a pretty, shimmery gold. 

Neatly trimmed grass stretches far ahead of you, rows upon rows of bright, gorgeous flowers blooming on either side of the balcony and spread ahead in neat, planned lanes. From a glance you identify roses, jasmines, camellias and a bunch of other flowering plants, spread amongst many other exotic looking ones. You _definitely_ haven't seen most of them before. 

Even you, as reluctant as you were and in some ways still are to call this place your home, can agree that the house is absolutely gorgeous. Built with rolling hills and mountains forming the backdrop, the location could not have been more scenic. The place truly does look like heaven on Earth, and your breath catches somewhere low in your chest when a breeze brings the sweet fragrance of jasmine to you. 

This is perfect. 

“What are  _ you  _ doing here?”

Or it was.  
  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was roughly edited so ignore all the mistakes that are definitely in there. I'll get back to this and edit it all later. But yeah at 4.2k, easily my longest chapter so far for this series. 
> 
> And Ooo any guesses on who the one at the end is? *wink wink* Good ol drama!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and please let me know your thoughts if you enjoyed reading this story. The joy that your comments bring me is the only, _literally only,_ thing I gain from writing these stories. 
> 
> Until next time! Stay safe luv ❤

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on my Tumblr for more Behind the scenes and Random stuff: [Ditttiii's Tumblr](https://ditttiii.tumblr.com/)


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